2026 Columbus Patient and Family Conference
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Conference Co-Chairs
Uma Borate, MBBS
Alice Mims, MD
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
Xiaoyi Chen, MD, PhD
Institution
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Primary Disease Area of Focus
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Aplastic Anemia
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN)
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH)
About
Dr. Chen is currently with the Rutgers Cancer Institute, the only NCI-designated cancer center in the state, where cutting-edge cancer research is conducted and state-of-the-art cancer care is delivered. Her interest in hematological malignancies started in medical school, driving her to pursue research in this field. After graduating from West China Medical School, she joined the University of Cincinnati’s Cancer and Cell Biology program, where her primary research focused on targeting autophagy in acute leukemia and earned my PhD. Following this, she completed her internal medicine residency
Mapping Human Bone Marrow Yields New Tool, Insights on Blood Cancer
Original Publication Date
Article Source
External Web Content
Weill Cornell Medicine investigators have developed a new AI-based method to assess patients with a form of blood cancer called myelodysplastic neoplasms. The method, published June 30 in Leukemia, compares the physical locations and morphometric (size and shape) characteristics…
Treatment modalities and the impact of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in AML patients treated with venetoclax and azacitidine: A DATAML registry study
Original Publication Date
Article Source
External Web Content
Abstract Introduction Azacitidine-venetoclax (AZA-VEN) has become a standard treatment in older or chemotherapy-ineligible AML patients. While the registration trial showed a median overall survival (OS) of 14.7 months, most real-world studies have not reproduced this result…
Magrolimab Plus Azacitidine Versus Placebo Plus Azacitidine in Patients With Untreated Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes: The Phase III ENHANCE Study
Original Publication Date
Article Source
External Web Content
Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the cluster of differentiation 47-targeted antibody magrolimab plus azacitidine (Magro/Aza) versus azacitidine alone in treatment-naïve patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) in the phase III ENHANCE…
An Immune Dysfunction Signature Score Predicts Survival in MDS Patients: Insights From a Longitudinal, Multicenter Study
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) are clonal myeloid neoplasms shaped by genetic lesions and immune dysregulation, both of which contribute to disease progression and poor outcomes. Existing prognostic systems, such as IPSS-R and IPSS-M, do not incorporate immune alterations. We assessed the biological and clinical relevance of an immune dysfunction signature (IDS) across multi-center MDS and CMML cohorts. IDS scores, derived from bulk transcriptomic data, were significantly associated with inferior leukemia-free and overall survival.
Fueling Your Journey: Nutrition Support for Aplastic Anemia, MDS, and PNH
Topic(s)
Aplastic Anemia
Living Well with Bone Marrow Failure
Managing Your Treatment
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH)
In this webinar, Sondos Khattab, Registered Dietitian, will discuss practical tips for managing treatment-related challenges, food safety, and making informed nutrition choices to support overall health. Questions can be submitted in advance at help@aamds.org.